Learn to Love Again
by Chakat StarDust
Summary: Yugi is a boy afraid to show any sort of affection. A vampire kidnaps him, seeming only to want him as a slave or a pet. Can they learn to trust one another and themselves? And what if Yugi isn't actually human either?
1. Chapter 1

Wolf: New story! Have fun with this one guys! I own nothing but the plot.

Yugi Motou trudged home from school, alone as usual. His wide amethyst eyes were expressionless, dull. He had soft, spiked hair in three colours; the bangs were blonde and the spikes were black with scarlet tips.

He was a loner. He didn't have friends, didn't make an effort to make them either. The kids at school thought he was weird, but he never seemed to notice them. Those that knew him when he was younger knew that he had been a happy, friendly child, and wondered what had prompted this change when he got to high school.

He sighed as he opened the door to his grandfather's game shop. He lived alone with the old man, in a small apartment above the shop. His parents had died, quite mysteriously, when he was young. His grandfather smiled at him as he walked by.

"Hello Yugi, how was school?" Yugi had inherited quite a few of his looks from his grandfather, whose eyes were the same shade of violet, and his hair, although completely grey now, had the same pattern of spikes.

"Just like any other day." Yugi answered with a shrug.

"Oh, **he** sent you another letter." Yugi stiffened and his already pale face went whiter. "Do you want me to get rid of it?" Yugi nodded stiffly, gulping slightly. His grandfather sighed and came around the counter to hug his grandson.

"He can't do anything to you anymore, you know that, right?" Yugi nodded. "Good, now go upstairs and do your homework." Yugi offered him a rare smile and went to do as he said.

~~~~~***~~~~~

The creature silently watched the boy move around through the window. He had spotted the beautiful human earlier that day and tracked him home. He licked his lips, thinking how delectable the boy looked.

He slipped down to the ground and walked off. He would have to be careful, make sure the boy didn't see him as he was stalked. He chuckled darkly and smirked, it had been awhile since his last pet.

~~~~~***~~~~~

Yugi was grateful that it was finally summer vacation. He hated the whispers and looks he got at school and he needed to help Grandpa earn some money. He had a summer job at a bookstore, and it seemed to be going well.

He had a late shift this night. He waved a polite goodbye to the manager and began walking home. He decided to take the alley shortcut he knew about.

~~~~~***~~~~~

The creature chuckled from his vantage point on the nearby rooftop. The boy was making this too easy for him. He had followed the boy for about two weeks now, learning his habits, and now his patience was paying off.

Yugi heard the sound of soft footsteps creeping up on him.

"Who's there?" he asked, whirling around. There was no one there. His heart pounded harder as he heard a soft, sinister chuckle.

"Show yourself!" Yugi demanded, voice quavering with fear.

"As you wish." A soft voice whispered in his ear. Yugi whirled and was confronted by the sight of someone that looked almost exactly like him.

The other boy had the same pattern of colour and spikes to his hair, but also had streaks of blonde, like lightning, going up through the spikes. He was slightly taller than Yugi and had tanned skin. His eyes were narrow and crimson, and filled with dark amusement. He was beautiful.

"I-I don't have any money." Yugi stuttering, backing away as the other walked slowly towards him, a scary smirk plastered on his face.

"Oh, I don't want money, little one." The boy said.

"Then what do you want?" Yugi asked, fear shooting through him as his back pressed into the wall. The boy leaned over him; face just inches away and chuckled.

"You." He told Yugi, pressing himself up against the smaller boy. Yugi's eyes widened and he tried to push the other away. The boy just grabbed his hands and pinned them above his head with one of his own. Yugi whimpered as he felt hot breath exhaled against his neck.

He jumped when he felt sharp fangs graze the skin of his neck.

"No, please.." He pleaded struggling against the boy that he now realized was a vampire. The vampire ignored him and slowly drove his fangs into Yugi's neck. Yugi gasped and struggled as the vampire sucked leisurely.

He slowly started to feel dizzy.

"Please..." He pleaded one last time before his eyes rolled back and he collapsed, unconscious. The vampire drew back and caught the boy as he fell, cradling him in his arms. He smirked down at Yugi's unconscious, lovely face and bore the boy away.

* * *

Wolf: I know, is short, but don't want to give away too much yet! Review plz!


	2. Chapter 2

Wolf: I own nothing!

Yugi came to slowly on a hard, damp, cold floor. He shot up, remembering what had happened to him. He panicked, seeing that he was in some kind of cell and had shackles on his wrists. He struggled against them, making them clink against the ground.

"Shut up!" A voice hissed from another cell. "You want to get punished by them?" Yugi peered out of the bars of the cell, but it was too dark for him to see anything.

"Where...where am I?" He asked. A mirthless chuckle reached his ears.

"You're now a prisoner of the vampires." The voice replied. "This is their castle."

"What do they want me for?" Yugi asked, goosebumps prickling all over his skin.

"The usual; work, blood...sex." Yugi recoiled and shuddered. "I think you were brought in by the one called Yami, heard he's a real piece of work."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Yugi asked.

"They say he's got a wicked temper, the last human he had only lasted about two weeks before he killed him in a fit of rage, or so they say." Yugi shuddered. "I'd watch your step if he's the one that you're going to be serving."

They went silent as they heard a door open and footsteps walk their way. Yugi looked up in fear as the vampire from the other night, presumably Yami, stood in front of his cell, smirking.

"Did you enjoy your rest, my little pet?" He asked condescendingly. Yugi didn't answer, just stared at him, frozen in fear. He chuckled and unlocked the cell, walking towards him. Yugi tried to back away, but was yanked to him by the chains on his wrists. Yugi fought to get away, but was cuffed over the head for it.

"Ah ah, unless you want to stay down here, you will co-operate." Yugi stopped fighting and stood with his head down as Yami placed a black leather collar, with Yami's name stitched in it in red thread, around his neck. Yami then took the chains off, grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out of the cell and upstairs.

Yugi's eyes darted around as he was led through the halls. Various vampires were around and many gave him lust-filled looks that terrified him. They came to Yami's chambers, which were large and painted midnight black. A series of bookshelves stood in one corner, haphazardly stuffed with books. A large wardrobe stood in the opposite corner. A large bed with red satin sheets took up most of the space.

"Now then, rules." Yami said as he made Yugi look up at him. "You are to do what I say, whenever I say it, otherwise you will be punished, understand?" Yugi only gulped and nodded. Yami pointed to a pallet in the corner of the room. "That is where you sleep unless I say otherwise."

Yugi could only shake in fear of what Yami would want him for in his bed.

"Oh, and one more thing," Yami said. "You are to call me Master all at times." Yugi nodded miserably. "Say it."

"Yes Master." Yugi said obediently. Yami smirked.

"Good, now see that door?" He asked, pointing out a small door to the left of the bed.

"Yes Master."

"Good. Through that door is the bathroom, get yourself cleaned up and into the clothes laid out in there, they are your uniform from now on." Yugi ducked his head and nodded, walking over to the bathroom. As he walked through the room he noticed an open balcony through which he could see a star-studded sky.

He took the bath and put on the clothes. They consisted of a pair of tight leather pants, and a black tank top. He emerged from the bathroom to find Yami lounging on his bed. The vampire's eyes travelled over his slim form.

"Lovely." He purred. "Now, strip down and go to bed, it's late and you start real work tomorrow." He turned off the light with a smirk. Yugi felt his way over to the pallet, and after stripping down to his boxers he laid down.

Tears came to his eyes as he thought about his grandfather and his own predicament. He carefully muffled the sobs escaping his lips, he didn't want his new master to hear and punish him. Eventually he cried himself into a restless sleep.

~~~~~***~~~~~

The next few weeks settled into a pattern. Yami would be away most of the day, and in that time Yugi was required to keep his chambers tidy for him. He also ran errands in the castle. Because of the collar no other vampire could touch him, but it also meant that he would be stopped and punished if he tried to escape.

His other duty was to supply blood when Yami demanded it. To Yugi's immense relief, so far Yami had not tried to have sex with him.

He was trying to create some semblance of order on the bookshelves when the chamber door banged open. Yugi looked up and instantly shrank back. Yami's eyes were narrowed and completely furious, teeth bared in a fearful snarl; he looked ready to kill something. The look was at once terrifying and horribly familiar to Yugi.

_A scream, another thud. Clutching his stomach he stared into furious eyes. Blows rained down unending punishment on his already battered body._

Yugi felt bile rise in his throat as he backed into the corner, making himself as small as possible. Yami suddenly whirled, and his rage-filled eyes found Yugi cowering there. Storming over he lifted Yugi up by his collar and bit hard into his neck.

Yugi let out a strangled scream of pain. Yami growled at him and the hand holding his collar twisted. Yugi's cry was instantly choked off. Yami drank quickly and greedily.

Yugi began to feel dizzy and weak presently and began to thrash a little, frightened that his master was taking too much. He let out a sob of terror when Yami's grip only tightened.

Suddenly Yami let him go. Yugi fell to the ground, legs unable to support him. He stared up at Yami. Yami stared down at him with a dazed and slightly perplexed look.

"Master?" Yugi asked tentatively. Yami seemed to snap out of it, and turned and walked out of the room. Yugi stared in confusion after him.

_What just happened?_

* * *

Wolf: Review plz!


	3. Chapter 3

Wolf: I own nothing!

Yami stood on the roof of the castle, brooding. For a moment in there, when Yugi had sobbed, he had been disgusted with himself. He huffed and pulled a cigarette out of his pocket.

"So, bad day?" Yami turned to look at the white haired, russet-eyed vampire that sauntered out to stand with him.

"What makes you think that Bakura?" Yami grumbled.

"You only smoke when there's something on your mind." Bakura replied. Yami was silent. "Is it that new human of yours?"

"How do you know about that?" Yami asked, taking a drag.

"News travels fast around here. Besides, I've seen him around the halls, cute, but extremely jumpy." Bakura gave him a sidelong glance. "I think you have feelings for him."

"Bakura-"

"No one will bat an eyelash if you decide to take him as a mate you know."

"Ba-ku-ra-"

"I mean look at me and Ryou-"

"BAKURA!" Yami roared. Bakura turned and raised an eyebrow at him. "The boy means nothing to me, understand? He is just a pet." Bakura shrugged and walked off.

"You just keep telling yourself that." He commented before disappearing into the castle once more.

~~~~~***~~~~~

Yugi was sobbing softly on his pallet when the door creaked open. He stuffed his fist into his mouth, and stayed completely still, hoping Yami would leave him alone.

There was a soft sigh and the bedroom light was turned off, casting the room into near-complete darkness. Yugi waited until he was sure that Yami was sleeping, and resumed sobbing quietly.

Unbeknownst to Yugi, Yami was still awake. He laid in the darkness, listening to Yugi's soft sobs, a dull, unfamiliar ache in his chest.

Did he having feelings for the boy? No, such feelings were for the weak, and Yami needed to be strong. Still, he made no move to get up and punish Yugi for making noise. He just lay there and listened to the cries grow softer and the breathing grow even as Yugi cried himself to sleep.

~~~~~***~~~~~

For the next week Yugi watched Yami closely. He was confused by Yami's behaviour that night and was trying to figure out just what Yami was all about. Every once in awhile Yugi would notice Yami watching him with that same strange, perplexed look as before and it made him slightly nervous.

Yugi wasn't eating well. The combination of depression from his imprisonment and nauseating fear made it almost impossible for him to force anything down. He ate and drank enough to keep himself from fainting while he worked, but that was it.

He continued to cry himself to sleep. He was worried about his grandfather, and terrified of Yami. It was strange though, Yami had not taken blood from him since that night. Yugi wondered about that, but quickly put it out of his mind, dismissing it as unimportant.

~~~~~***~~~~~

Yugi was cleaning the pile of messy clothes on the floor when Yami came bursting in. Yami didn't say anything, just grabbed Yugi's shoulders and steered him to the bed. Yugi felt fear shoot through him as Yami proceeded to bind his wrists to the headboard with a silk scarf.

Yami leaned back to admire his handiwork and Yugi's insides turned cold at the familiar expression of lust in the vampire's eyes. Yami licked his lips and leaned back forward to capture Yugi's lips in a rough, demanding kiss.

Yugi's mind shut down as Yami's slick, warm tongue pushed itself into his mouth and massaged the walls of his mouth. Despite being terrified Yugi found himself moaning and trying to press their lips together more.

Yami then moved his lips from his mouth to his neck, licking and sucking at the soft skin. The soft moans that escaped Yugi's lips aroused him greatly, and as he pressed closer to continue his ministrations he could feel Yugi was becoming aroused too.

Yugi squirmed, the tight material of his leather pants becoming tighter. His instincts screamed run, but he couldn't think clearly enough to figure out how.

"Ohhhh!" He cried as Yami's hands slid beneath his shirt and pinched at his nipples. His body arched up of its own accord and Yugi began to pant as Yami continued to tease him.

Suddenly he felt hands on his waist, tugging on his belt. A mindless panic welled up inside him as images flashed through his mind.

_Screams. Blood. Pain. Crying, agony. Cruel, dark eyes smirking. Pain, make it stop, no more. Nonono..._

"NO!" Yugi shrieked, the sound of his own scream unfreezing him. His foot snapped out wildly and he struck Yami in the chest hard enough to send him reeling back with a grunt of pain.

Coming out of his initial surprise Yami bared his teeth in a snarl and slapped Yugi across the face, hard. Yugi stared into his furious eyes and began to sob in terror. He closed his eyes, continuing to sob as he braced himself for pain.

When Yami did nothing Yugi opened his eyes cautiously. Yami was staring at him with that perplexed look on his face again. A small whimper from Yugi snapped him out of it. Yugi cowered as Yami came near him again but Yami merely undid the scarf around his wrists.

Yugi backed off the bed as fast as he could and cowered in his corner on his pallet. Yami watched him for a moment with an unreadable expression and then turned and walked out of the room. Yugi had never felt more confused.

~~~~~***~~~~~

Yami wandered back to his room as the sun was setting. He was frustrated but his reactions to his pet's distress. He'd never reacted in such a way before. He refused to acknowledge the possibility that he was falling for the boy; he did not fall in love, not anymore.

Yugi heard the door open but did not move from his curled up position on the floor. Early in the afternoon his skin had begun to tingle and itch. It slowly got worse as the day went on, with no relief in sight.

The sun finally slipped below the horizon. Yugi suddenly began to jerk. He cried out as he felt his insides and outsides moving and changing. He wailed in terror as he felt the bones in his knees snap and reset backwards. His face began to bulge out and his teeth turned sharp.

Yami could only stare Yugi's body changed. With a final cry, a long tail erupted from Yugi's hindquarters and the change was complete.

Yami stared at what Yugi had become. A dragon.

* * *

Wolf: Review plz!


	4. Author Note: Important

Hey guys, no this is not me telling you that I've decided not to continue, so don't freak out. I do however have exams to study for, and as such am taking a two week hiatus from writing to focus on my studies. Really sorry, but I promise to get right back to writing as soon as they are done.

This is Wolf, signing off for now


	5. Chapter 5

Wolf: I am back everyone! Thanks to everyone that offered words of encouragement for my exams, it was really appreciated. Well, I own nothing, so on with the story!

Frozen in shock, Yami's eyes drifted over Yugi's new form. Yugi's body was slim and covered with black, armoured scales. Dainty front paws boasted finger-like appendages with sharp, short black claws. His long, slim neck had a mane of red-tipped black hair and on the tip of his lizard-like snout there was a splash of gold scales.

Yugi shifted on his four feet, still dazed. His large, bat-like wings flexed and quivered as he moved. He was still fairly small, only about 6 feet from head to rear; the tail added about 3 feet to that.

"Yugi..." Yami whispered. Yugi lifted dazed eyes and opened his mouth in a cry of bewilderment, showing off sharp teeth. Yami took a hesitant step towards the dragon. Yugi recoiled, eyes terrified.

He backed away as Yami walked closer, bringing up out onto the open balcony. A soft breeze ruffled his half-open wings. Instinctively Yugi opened his wings all the way and began to flap. Yami lunged, but was too slow to stop Yugi lifting off.

Yami growled angrily as he watched Yugi fly awkwardly away. He stalked back into the castle and down to the armoury. He found a dart gun and filled it before heading out and walking out of the castle.

Yugi couldn't have gone too far, he was far too new at flying and would tire out or crash quickly. He headed into the forest surrounding the castle, heading in the direction that he had seen Yugi go last.

The forest was completely silent; all the small animals had fled when they sensed the dragon nearby. Yami kept his eyes trained to the skies and his ears trained for any movement or sound.

Suddenly he inhaled deeply. He could smell blood, specifically, dragon blood. He unconsciously licked his lips and kept moving, following the scent of blood.

After a moment he could hear the sound of soft whimpers. He came into a clearing and looked up in astonishment.

Yugi had crashed into a tree about ten feet from the ground and gotten his wings tangled up in the branches, piercing the tender webbing multiple times. His lower half rested on a thick branch and his forepaws grasped at the trunk of the tree. He thrashed wildly, but the movement only imbedded the branches deeper.

Yami cautiously walked towards the struggling dragon. Yugi's head snapped up and he gazed at Yami with pain-maddened eyes.

A low growl rumbled out of his throat as Yami continued to move towards him. Yami stopped short, head cocked in surprise. Yugi merely stared balefully back, mouth open as he panted.

Yami took the dart gun off his shoulder and brought it up. Yugi shrieked at him and began to struggle harder, with no success. Yami carefully aimed for the soft spot he knew was under Yugi's armpit and fired.

Yugi recoiled and then stared angrily at the small dart poking out of his skin. He wrenched it out with his teeth and hissed, snapping at Yami as he began to climb the tree.

Yami waited patiently on a branch out of Yugi's reach as the dragon began to feel the effects of the drug. He finally whined softly and sagged, completely unconscious.

Yami carefully pulled the various branches out of Yugi's wings. Once they were out the wings healed on their own before Yami's eyes. He hefted the dragon onto his back and then began to walk back to the castle.

~~~~~***~~~~~

Yami kept Yugi drugged for the entire new moon period. A dragon's bite could be very fierce and Yami didn't relish the idea of getting into a fight with him. Besides, if he was unconscious he couldn't fly away again.

Yugi slowly came to after he had transformed back into human form. He moaned softly, nausea and hunger warring against each other in the pit of his stomach. He slowly became aware of the fact that he was lying on Yami's bed and then tried to get off.

A pair of strong, vice-like hands clamped around his wrists and pinned him back down to the bed. Yugi opened his eyes and looked up into Yami's expressionless face. He whimpered softly in fear, not knowing what the vampire was going to do with him.

"Do not move." Yami simply commanded and let go of Yugi's wrists. Yugi watched in confusion as Yami stalked back out of the room, leaving him alone.

Yugi was so confused. He had turned into a dragon, hadn't he? Or had that been some crazy fever-dream? He didn't know, and he felt too sick to think about it too much, so he simply curled up on his side, holding his stomach.

He heard Yami come back in, but did not move. A soft growl met his ears and he was roughly turned over onto his back.

"Sit up." Yami commanded. Yugi slowly did as he was told. A small bowl of soup was set in front of him. He stared at it a moment, the sight of food only made his nausea worse. He pushed away the bowl.

"Eat." Yami growled. Yugi shook his head empathetically. Yami snarled and pushed the bowl back towards the boy. Yugi's response was to push it away once more.

"I SAID EAT!" Yami roared and shoved the bowl at Yugi. Yugi dashed the bowl out of Yami's hand and it fell to the floor, where it shattered, spilling it contents everywhere.

Yami slapped Yugi across the face and grabbed him by the hair, hauling him to his feet. He dragged him out of the room and down to the dungeon, where he threw Yugi into a small dark cell.

"Maybe a night in here will remind you who the master is." Yami snarled and then turned on his heel and left.

Yugi huddled himself as small as he could in the corner of the cell. It was very cold, and damp, and he began to shiver almost immediately.

He didn't know how long he was in there. There was no way of telling time, and even his innate sense of time passing began to feel wonky. He knew he was getting sick, his limbs felt heavy and his head felt like it was stuffed with cotton.

As time went on he began to feel very, very tired and he faded in and out of consciousness and the border between reality and dreams began to bend. At times he felt as though he were flying again, and at others he could swear he saw dancing lights, although there was no light at all in the dungeon.

Slowly the tug of darkness increased its pull on his mind and body. As his awareness faded he heard the door creak open. A soft gasp reached his ears, before darkness completely claimed him.

* * *

Wolf: Review plz!


	6. Chapter 6

Wolf: I own nothing!

Yami had stormed away, seething in rage, not at Yugi's stubbornness, but his own desire to just give into the boy, let him have his way. He didn't understand what was happening to him, why was he acting like this?

He stalked out of the castle and walked through the forest. He didn't return until the next morning, when he felt that he had some control over his emotions. He smirked, he was just having a bad day, that was all.

He wandered down to the dungeon, prepared to make sure that Yugi would not disobey him again, but stopped dead. A gasp escaped his lips. Yugi was curled up in the corner of his cell, deathly pale and shaking. His eyes were closed and his breathing was raspy and weak.

Yami opened the cell and reached over to shake Yugi.

"Wake up." He ordered. He lightly slapped Yugi's cheeks and pinched an earlobe, but Yugi remained unresponsive. His skin was ice cold, Yami noted distantly. Yami picked up the boy, who seemed to weigh no more than a feather, and carried him up to his chambers.

He laid Yugi down on the bed and stripped him of his dirty clothes. He encountered another surprise as he saw Yugi's body exposed for the first time. He was gaunt, and Yami wondered just how much he really had been eating.

But that wasn't what drew his eye. It was the scars that criss-crossed his chest, most small and slim, but there was one fairly large one that looked like it was a stab wound. Yami put his hand on it. Yugi jerked in his sleep and whimpered softly.

His pale cheeks were beginning to flush with fever. He still shivered, but now he was also starting to sweat. Yami pulled out a pair of soft sweatpants and a t-shirt and redressed the unconscious boy. He stood back and regarded the boy once more, noticing now the dark circles around his eyes.

A feeling of guilt welled up from somewhere inside him. The boy was obviously depressed, and probably terrified. He snorted and pushed it aside; it didn't matter how his pet felt, right? But, looking down at that sleeping, gentle, sad face, he wasn't so sure.

Yugi's fever rose as the day went on. Yami could have dumped him at the infirmary, but for some odd reason he felt the need to take care of the boy himself.

He rubbed a cool cloth across Yugi's burning forehead. Yugi was still unconscious and Yami couldn't wake him up no matter how hard he tried. He needed to try to get him some water though, or Yugi would go into shock.

Carefully he tipped a water bottle to Yugi's lips, letting a little bit of water dribble into his parted lips. Yugi's eyelids fluttered slightly, and a soft whine escaped his lips. Yami tipped more water into Yugi's lips, letting an involuntary sigh of relief flutter past his lips as Yugi swallowed. Once the bottle was empty Yami chucked it.

Yugi was murmuring in his sleep now, and twisting and turning in the sheets. Yami moved closer to hear what he was saying.

"No, no more please. I'll be good, I promise, no more, no more." The soft pleading was accompanied by a low sob that made Yami's skin prickle. _'What is he dreaming about, is it me?'_ But then Yugi said something else that made his skin crawl.

"Put down the knife, please, I said I would be good, please, not again." Tears were now streaming down Yugi's cheeks as he whimpered. Yami stared at the boy in horror; he was definitely not talking about him. But then, who was he talking to?

Yami had tried, without success, to figure out who Yugi was talking about. The more he listened to Yugi cry and moan in his sleep the more he wanted to find this person and tear him apart. He didn't understand it, this wild urge to suddenly protect Yugi, but it made him slightly uneasy.

He was up on the roof smoking again when Bakura came up.

"Haven't seen that boy of yours in a bit, haven't killed him off have you?" Yami gave him a scathing look. "No that never was your style was it? So where is he?"

"He's sick." Yami replied, flicking his cigarette over the battlements.

"Ahh, I see." Bakura laughed and then peered into his face. "You're smitten."

"What? I am not. He's just a pet."

"You're in love." Bakura drawled. "It's as plain in your face as day." Bakura shrugged. "Like I told you before, it's not a bad thing."

Yami snorted. Bakura gave him a long, searching look.

"What are you afraid of?" He asked, before turning and leaving once more. Yami stared after him.

_What indeed?_

Yami finally wandered back to his room late, mind buzzing. He couldn't fall in love, love just complicated things, it was too easy for someone to get hurt. But, Yugi... He was so beautiful, and when he had watched him, so gentle.

He came to the bed and ran his fingers across Yugi's cheek. The skin was so soft. His fingers traced the shape of Yugi's full, pink lips. Yugi twitched slightly in his sleep, but did not wake.

"How can I love you?" He whispered. "How can I trust anyone to love them after..." He stopped and sighed, rubbing his thumb against Yugi's cheek.

"Love is about learning to take a leap, to have the courage to take that leap." Yami turned to look at Bakura standing there. "Yami, I don't know what happened to you, but whatever it was, it was bad, that much I can tell." He explained. "But you can't let the past control your actions forever, you've got to learn to take a chance." He then turned and walked away again. Yami snorted.

"Bakura giving relationship advice, that's a laugh." He murmured to the unconscious Yugi. "But then, he's changed some since he's taken that little human, Ryou, for a lover." Yugi began to twitch, and Yami backed off. He began to murmur in his sleep, but it was different from the usual desperate pleas.

"I want to go home." He moaned softly, then sobbed it again."I want to go hoommmeeee!" Yami winced at the grief in the boy's voice. He considered his options; he could keep the boy, and by the looks of things, have him completely deteriorate in health even when he wasn't sick, or bring him back home, where he could feel safe again.

As he watched the tears begin to fall again, his course of action became clear.

Solomon Motou was startled by a knock at the door. It was late, and it wasn't like he got social callers, most of his friends were in home or gone at this age. A thrill of mixed apprehension and hope went through him. _'What if they found Yugi? What if they found him dead?'_

He opened the door and stared in surprise. A young man with fiery crimson eyes and hair similar to his grandson's stood there, Yugi swaddled in a blanket in his arms.

"He's sick." Yami said, before Solomon could say anything. "He's mostly better, but he has a fever and a bit of a cough." He handed Yugi to Solomon.

"Thank you." Solomon. "Thank you for bringing him home."

"Don't thank me, I've done nothing worth thanking." Yami replied with a grim face. he turned to walk away, then paused. "Oh, and he's had his first transformation, you should probably sit down and have a talk with him about that." With that he left, leaving Solomon dumbfounded.

Wolf: Review plz!


	7. Chapter 7

Wolf: Sorry about the wait, I was working so much this week I didn't have a lot of time to write. I own nothing!

Yugi came around to the sensation of someone softly stroking his hair.

"Oh, my boy, my sweet boy." Yugi opened his eyes to find his grandfather leaning over him with a smile, tears slipping down his weathered face. "You're all right. I was so afraid something horrible had happened to you."

Yugi sat up carefully, feeling slightly dizzy. Solomon put a bowl of broth to his lips immediately. Yugi gulped it down, careful not to eat too quickly, he didn't want to throw it back up again. Immediately the dizziness began to go away and he felt a little bit of strength seep back into his limbs.

"Something horrible almost did happen to me." Yugi replied to his grandfather hoarsely. He related everything that had happened to him to his grandfather, including his transformation, even though he still wasn't sure if it had actually happened or not.

Solomon showed no surprise at his story, and merely sighed when he was done.

"Vampires are such long-lived creatures, they forget how to be human after awhile." He told Yugi. "I pity them."

"Does that make it right what he did to me, what he tried to do?" Yugi asked.

"No, it doesn't. Vampires are a law unto themselves and most don't care who they hurt so long as they're entertained. You're very lucky he brought you back." Solomon said. "Now, as for your transformation..."

"It actually happened?" Yugi stared, wide-eyed. Solomon chuckled and nodded.

"Your mother was a weredragon, and so are you Yugi." He explained. Yugi's eyes grew wider. "Weredragons are different from others in that they change at the new moon, and not the full moon." He sighed. "If you had someone to train you, you'd be able to learn how to control the change to have it happen when you wanted."

"Why won't I have someone to train me?" Yugi asked.

"Because the weredragon community didn't know your mother had a child, and they are extremely wary of humans, so I cannot speak to them on your behalf." Solomon explained gently. He loved the look of wonder in Yugi's eyes. It made him back into the happy, sweet young man he had been, before...He shook his head, not wanting to think of such terrible things. Yugi leaned forwards, eyes alight.

"Tell me more."

Yami wandered his castle restlessly. It had been a couple of weeks since he had brought Yugi back to his grandfather and he still couldn't get the boy out of his head. He wanted him, with a deep, passionate desire that confused and frightened him.

It was not lust, he knew lust, and this was not it. No, this feeling was something deeper, far more profound than anything he had ever felt before in his long life. Nothing he did could make this feeling go away, and the longer he was without Yugi, the emptier and lonelier he felt.

%&%&%&%

Yugi walked through the streets on his own. He no longer went out at night, as much from his own fears as his grandfather's urging. As it was he kept a wary eye out anyways during the day.

He was just thinking about stopping by the grocery store to bring home some of those fresh strawberries he and his grandfather liked when he thought he saw a familiar face in the crowd across the street.

'_It couldn't be.' _He thought. But another look confirmed that the figure he had seen was in fact Yami. Yugi lowered his head and hunched his shoulders, walking quicker, hoping the vampire wouldn't see him.

But it was too late. Yami had in fact spotted him and was making his way across the street to Yugi. Yugi tried to walk past him, but Yami stood in his path.

"What do you want?" Yugi snarled at the vampire. "You've come to kidnap me again?"

Yami flinched visibly at the harsh tone of voice.

"No." He said quietly.

"Then why are you here?" Yugi demanded, not caring that they were drawing stares from other people.

"I don't know." The soft answer unravelled Yugi's anger and he looked at Yami, really looked at him, for the first time.

Yami's eyes were circled with shadows. His clothes were rumpled and dishevelled. His shoulders sagged and his skin had a pale tinge to it. All in all, the vampire looked wrecked.

"What do you mean?" Yugi asked, eyes narrowing just slightly. Yami shook his head and reached out for Yugi's face. Yugi recoiled, anger sparking once more. "Don't touch me." He snarled, slapping away Yami's hand. His hands balled into fists. Yami saw it.

"Go ahead." He said in a soft, strange voice. "Hit me, hurt me, hurt me like I hurt you." His voice had an edge of desperation to it. Yugi was confused and didn't know what to do anymore. His hands shook slightly. Finally he spoke.

"It's getting late, I have to go, it's the new moon tonight." He stated tonelessly, brushing past Yami. Yami watched him go, he didn't try to stop him.

%&%&%&%

Solomon's hands shook as he reread the letter in his hands. It couldn't be...they couldn't actually be allowing that monster to...

The front door creaked open and Solomon quickly hid the letter where Yugi wouldn't find it. The boy didn't need to be more stressed out than he already was.

%&%&%&%

Yami tried to convince himself not to go back out there again, to see Yugi. Yugi didn't want him there, Yugi would never want him there. But every day he went without seeing Yugi's face his heart clenched a little more and it became harder and harder for him to focus on anything for very long.

He was no longer sure how long he'd gone without eating, or sleeping for that matter. Nothing seemed to matter and that scared him a little.

At some point in the day he had just blanked out, after drinking far too much alcohol, and now he was standing in front of Yugi's small house, hand raised to knock. He recoiled, feeling his head spin with dizziness and his stomach roar with hunger.

He stood there and swayed, breathing deeply to try to keep from passing out. He had really gone too far this time, probably ran all the way here too. He was about to try and make his way home when the door opened and Solomon Motou stared out at him in surprise. Yami gasped once in surprise and then crumpled, completely unconscious.

He came around to the sensation of warm blood slipping down his throat. He coughed slightly and opened his eyes. Solomon stood there with a glass in his hand and a bandage around his arm.

"You should know how dangerous it is for your people to drink when starving, yes?" Solomon questioned sternly. Yami nodded sheepishly. Rustling movement drew his attention and he saw Yugi, in his dragon form, watching him from the other side of the room with suspicious eyes.

Still feeling tipsy, Yami grinned drunkenly.

"You look beautiful." He slurred. Yugi snorted and glared at him.

"Ok, he's awake, now will you please get him out of here?" Yugi asked his grandfather. Solomon shook his head.

"He'll just wind up doing something stupid in this state." He replied. "He'll stay the night, and in the morning he'll leave." Yami only dimly heard this exchange. The effect of the alcohol and sleeplessness was taking its toll on him and he soon passed out once more.

Wolf: Review plz!


	8. Chapter 8

Wolf: I own nothing!

Yami woke up with a pounding headache and the feeling that something was wrong. The air was thick and hot. A strange crackling sound reached his ears. Finally, the smell of smoke reached his nostrils and he sat bolt upright.

Smoke was filling the tiny apartment. Yami threw off the blanket over his legs and got up, searching frantically for Yugi. He made his way to the bedrooms, where he could see flames licking up the back wall.

He coughed as he lurched into Yugi's room. Eyes stinging, he grabbed onto the coughing mass in the bed. Scales beneath his fingers told him the sun had not risen yet. He dragged the half-conscious dragon-boy out of the room and into the living room, making for the door.

As he did Yugi began to change back into human form and seemed to regain some of his senses.

"Grandpa!" He cried, trying to break free of Yami's grip and go back into the fire. Yami stared at the huge flames and gripped Yugi tighter, dragging the now screaming boy forcibly out of the apartment.

Yugi sobbed as Yami lifted him up in a fireman's carry, hurriedly carrying him away from the fire. They hid behind a tree as the fire department came and began to put out the fire.

"Let me go!" Yugi cried. "What are you doing?" He cried as Yami began to carry him further from the fire.

"If you stay there you'll be put in a home." Yami replied. "You're a dragon, you won't be able to hide for too long there. Bad things happen to those of us who are revealed to the world."

"So what are you doing with me?" Yugi demanded.

"I'm taking you back to the castle." Yami replied. Yugi froze, and then began struggling harder than ever.

"LET ME GO!" Yugi screamed frantically.

"NO!" Yami yelled. "You'll be safe there!"

"Safe? Safe? Nowhere you are is safe!" Yugi cried. Yami winced at his words, but then again, he'd never done anything to let Yugi think that he could trust him. He sighed and put Yugi down. They were in the forest. He stared into Yugi's eyes.

"Where will you go?" Yami asked in a gentle voice. "You need to be able to hide yourself from humans, and sustain yourself." Yugi didn't answer, biting his lip as tears welled up in his eyes. "And that's not the only thing. I'm worried that the fire may have been set intentionally, by dragon slayers." Yugi's head shot up. "Oh yes, they still exist."

"Then, the fire, it was my fault." Yugi whimpered. "I killed grandpa. I am a bad boy, he was right all along." Yugi began to sob in distress. Yami grabbed his shoulders and shook him gently.

"You're not bad." He told Yugi. "It's not your fault. Who told you that you were bad?" Yugi only whimpered and pressed his face into Yami's chest, seeking some form of comfort. Yami wrapped his arms around the sobbing boy, pulling him close. For once Yugi didn`t try to pull away, too deeply locked in his grief to care.

%&%&%&%

Yami led Yugi up to his room and made him lie down on the bed. Yugi was still crying a little and buried his face in the pillow. Yami sighed and grabbed Yugi's old collar. Yugi jerked away when Yami tried to put it on.

"What are you doing?" Yugi asked fearfully.

"Yugi, if you don't have this on, some other vampire can, and likely will, hurt you. This collar means that I'm the only one allowed to touch you, so you can't be hurt."

"Except by you." Yugi said sullenly. Yami sighed and sat down on the bed.

"I'm not going to hurt you anymore." He said softly, reaching out to stroke Yugi's cheek. Yugi shied away from the touch.

"Then what do you want?" He asked in bewilderment.

"Right now I want you to rest, before you make yourself sick." Yami replied, gently pressing down on Yugi's back, making him lie down again. Yugi shivered slightly when Yami placed a hand on his back. Yami simply rubbed his hand in soft circles on Yugi's back, trying to soothe the distressed boy.

Yugi felt confused. The vampire was not trying to hurt him, but comfort him. He felt safe in this moment, something he had never felt...before. A shudder wracked his body as he thought of that, and in that moment Yami began to stroke his hair, murmuring soft, soothing, incoherent words. Yugi didn't understand, he knew from experience not to trust anyone, and yet here he was, leaning into the vampire's touch.

A soft whimper escaped his lips.

"Shh." Yami murmured pulling Yugi's curled up body as much as he could into his lap. His heart leapt as he felt Yugi nuzzle up against him, unconsciously obeying the desire to be close to someone. Yugi's soft whimpers and sobs soon died away and were replaced by soft, even, sleeping breaths.

Reluctantly, Yami lowered Yugi out of his lap and onto the bed. He brushed a stray bang off his face and traced his jaw with one finger. He sighed as he drew the blanket around Yugi, cocooning him in warmth. He picked up the collar and settled it around Yugi's neck.

He sat back to look over the young boy. The soft, gentle face was twisted in grief even in sleep. Yami's heart tore. He remembered what it was like to have his loved ones die.

"I can't keep you here, can I?" He murmured to the sleeping boy, stroking his face. "You won't be happy here, in this place that holds so much fear for you." He paused. "And you need someone to teach you about being a dragon, don't you?" Yami bit his lip.

"I wish I could keep you here, so maybe, just maybe, I could try to get you to trust me...and maybe...maybe even love me." He whispered. "Because I love you, do you know that? I fell in love with you." He laughed slightly. "I'm afraid of it. But you're afraid too. Maybe we could have helped each other, but right now, you need others of your kind."

Yami sighed and stood up. He began to walk to the door but then turned and went back to Yugi. Brushing his thumb across the soft skin of Yugi's cheek, he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss against his forehead.

"Even if it takes me forever I will continue to try to earn your trust, and, your love." He whispered in Yugi's sleeping ear. "That I promise." He then turned and walked out of the bed chamber.

He headed down to the main office of the castle and picked up the phone. He tapped his fingers nervously on the desk as he waited for someone to pick up.

"Hello Seto? It's Yami. I have a favour to ask of you..."

~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~Wolf: Review plz!


	9. Chapter 9

Wolf: I own nothing!

Yugi woke up the next morning with arms locked around his middle. He turned his head slightly to see Yami sleeping in the bed next to him. He wriggled desperately out of the grip. He felt something around his neck and brought his hands up.

It was the collar. Yugi unbuckled it quickly and threw it across the room. Panting, he turned around and froze, finding Yami's crimson eyes on him. He gulped as Yami sat up and traced one finger across his neck.

"I think I like you better without the collar." He murmured. "I can see more of your beauty."

Yugi shivered, both at the touch and Yami's words. Sudden, hot desire flashed through him and he brushed Yami's hand away. He heard Yami sigh softly and get up to go into the bathroom. Yugi let out a soft sigh of relief.

Gods, he wanted Yami. Wanted his hands on his body, his voice whispering sweet nothings in his ear, bodies pressed against each other...Yugi shuddered in need at the images that raced through his mind. Yami was certainly handsome, that was for sure, so it wasn't surprising that Yugi was attracted to him.

What surprised him was the need to be close, the desire to stay with Yami that he didn't understand. He knew from experience not to get too close to people, and hadn't Yami already shown him that he wasn't to be trusted? He was so confused.

Suddenly the chamber door creaked open.

"Yami? Yami?" Yugi glanced up at the shrill, female voice. A blue-eyed, brown hair vampire stood in the doorway. "Yam- Oh, hello, what have we here?" Yugi didn't like the predatory grin the vampire gave him.

"A little human pet?" The female sauntered over. "And uncollared too! Hmm, I think I'll have a little fun with you."

Yugi batted her reaching hands away and backed off the bed as fast as he could, wishing that he could turn dragon right that minute. The female vampire's smirk turned into a scowl and she advanced on him, lifting a hand to slap him.

"How dare you-" Her hand was caught in mid-swing and she turned, wide-eyed, to look at the furious Yami.

"Do not touch him Tea." He snarled.

"But Yami..." Tea whined. "I want to play with him." She pouted outrageously.

"He is not a pet. He is a weredragon." Tea sniffed.

"So? It's not as though we are aligned with them." She gave a yelp as Yami's hand clenched, grinding the bones in her wrist.

"We are now, and I will punish you myself if you so much as lay a finger on him." Yami growled, then released her. "Out." Tea went to argue, but Yami hissed at her and she ran from the room. When she was gone he turned to Yugi.

"Did she hurt you?" Yugi shook his head. "Sorry, she's been trying to get in my bed since she was turned. Wants to be the Queen of the vampires." Yugi looked confused. "Oh, you don't know. I am the leader of the vampires, the King."

Yugi stared at him. The King? No wonder no one had ever tried anything with him when he was a 'pet'. He gulped, thinking that this made Yami even scarier to deal with. A hand cupped his chin and gently forced his head up.

"Yugi, I didn't tell you this because I didn't want you even more scared of me than you were." Yami explained gently to him. "You should go have a shower and get dressed. We're leaving soon."

Yugi nodded, wondering where they were going, but said nothing. When he was done his shower and dressed, Yami took his hand and led him out of the castle. He led him over to a black and silver Camero and got in.

"Where are you taking me?" Yugi asked, unwilling to get in.

"My cousin. He's the leader of the weredragons and runs a valley that houses many of your kind. I'm bringing you to him so that you can learn." Yami explained. Yugi nodded and then got in, sitting as far away in his seat as possible from Yami. Yami decided to fill the silence by talking more.

"Weredragons normally age like humans, but often live longer, maybe up to a hundred years more. But Seto is special. When I became a vampire he found a way to live for eternity as well." Yami explained. "We had a falling out a number of years back. I wasn't sure if he would agree to help me at all, but he seems to have mellowed some over the years and as soon as I mentioned becoming allies he said yes."

Absentmindedly he rested a hand on Yugi's thigh. Yugi jumped and scooted even further away from him. Yami hastily took his hand away.

"I'm sorry." Yami whispered. They drove in silence for some time. "Who was it?" Yami finally asked. Yugi gave him a blank look. "Who hurt you? Who made you so afraid?" Yugi turned his face away.

"You wouldn't understand." He mumbled.

"And why is that?"

"Because you know nothing of love!" Yugi cried. Yami looked over at him and his jaw clenched, eyes going dark. Yugi recoiled and whimpered as Yami spun the wheel and stopped on the side of the mountain road they were on.

But Yami merely got out of the car and went over to the railing, looking down at the river below. Yugi stayed in the car, watching him.

'_Go to him.' _A small voice inside his head told him. He shifted uncomfortably then got up with a faint exhale. He walked over to Yami and leaned on the railing, watching Yami's expression.

Yami watched the swirling water below with a brooding expression.

"You're wrong, I do know about love." He said softly. "I was hurt by it." He sighed and put his head down. "I've never told anyone about this before, but I feel I must." He paused. "I used to live in Egypt, a long time ago. The humans there accepted us, and we lived in peace. While I was there I fell in love with a vampire named Jasper...

_He was charismatic, handsome and seductive. I was completely infatuated with him. I had been told that he was bad news, but I refused to listen. He seemed to return my affections, and so eventually I asked him to be my mate._

_Immediately he began telling me that together we would bring a new era of control and terror over the humans. He was ranting about how they were animals who should be used as they were supposed to be, as livestock._

_I realized then that the only reason he was after me was for power. Humans and vampires live in balance, and to declare war on them would mean millions of lives needlessly lost. I told Jasper to get out, that I had changed my mind._

_He grew angry, he told me I was making a huge mistake. I stood firm. He then grew more angry and overpowered me, and....forced himself upon me._

"He...raped you?" Yugi asked. He could hardly believe it, Yami seemed so strong. Yami nodded bleakly.

"I think he hoped to break my spirit, but after he was done, I killed him." Yami rubbed at his eyes. "After that I never allowed anyone too close. I satisfied any desires by taking pets. But, the pets would often try to seduce me, and then I'd grow angry. After awhile I kept my pets in line by hurting them, to prevent any sort of seduction from happening." He sighed. "I never forced sex upon them, I couldn't do that." He turned to look at Yugi. "And then you came along."

"What do you mean?"

"When I saw you I experienced powerful emotion the likes of which I had never experienced. It...scared me. I tried to treat you as any other pet, but I found myself hating myself for making you cry or hurt. I fell in love with you Yugi." Yami confessed. "That's why I let you go."

"You fell in love with me?" Yugi whispered in disbelief. Yami nodded.

"That's why I couldn't leave you alone, why I couldn't just turn away and forget." He grasped Yugi's hands gently in his own. "I know you've been hurt, I've seen the scars. Please, tell me who hurt you." Yami pleaded. Yugi looked into his desperate crimson eyes and nodded.

"His name was Ushio, he was my boyfriend. He hit me, cut me, and raped me for almost a year and half. He finally stabbed me and I had to go to the hospital, and he went to jail." Tears leaked out of Yugi's eyes. "He told me no one would ever love me like he did, that I deserved to be punished, because I was bad."

"No, no, no." Yami murmured, shaking his head. "You're not bad, not at all. He just wanted to make you feel worthless."

"It worked." Yugi replied bitterly. Yami smiled sadly at him.

"I think I pretty much killed any chance I had of you falling for me, huh?" Without realizing it, Yugi shook his head.

"No, I did fall for you." Were the words that popped out of his mouth, to his surprise. Yami was just as surprised. He moved closer and cupped Yugi's face in his hands. Yugi's eyes were filled with tears.

"Oh, Yugi...You're so afraid of this, aren't you?" Yami murmured. Yugi nodded, feeling cowardly. "I'm scared too." Yami admitted softly. "We can just muddle our way through this though, if you're willing to give love a try, one more time?"

Yugi stared into Yami's hope-filled eyes and thought about how gentle, how kind he had been to him recently. He wanted to try, and more than anything he wanted to stop being afraid to feel for someone else. So, biting his lip slightly, he nodded his head.

Yami smiled and leaned forward. He pressed their lips together in a soft, chaste kiss.

"We'd better go." He sighed when they parted. "Seto hates it when people are late." He held Yugi's hand to the car. Yami put his hand on Yugi's thigh again as they continued down the road. This time Yugi did not pull away.

Wolf: Review plz!


	10. Chapter 10

Wolf: I own nothing!

Sometime later Yami stopped the car at the end of a dirt road.

"We have to go on foot from here." Yami said as he put the car into park and turned off the engine. Yugi stared dubiously at the dense forest stretched out in front of them. He looked up as Yami opened his door and offered his hand.

For a moment Yugi just stared at the hand, then looked up into Yami's gentle eyes. Gulping slightly, he took the offered hand. Yami felt him shiver a little as his hand closed around his and rubbed his thumb reassuringly against the skin of Yugi's hand.

As soon Yugi had relaxed a little Yami led him into the forest.

"There's nothing in here that can hurt you." Yami soothed when Yugi jumped at the sound of some animal's call. "Nothing to fear." Yugi still clung to him as they made their way through the thick undergrowth of the mountain forest.

Presently Yugi began to hear another strange noise. It was like roaring, but it didn't sound like an animal, and yet, somehow it sounded alive. He gasped as they came out of the dark woods and beheld the glorious sight of a tall, free-falling waterfall.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Yami murmured in Yugi's ear. Yugi only nodded vaguely, eyes locked on the majesty of the falling water. He now recognised the little mountain range they were travelling through. It was said that the mountains were so treacherous, so steep and prone to slides and avalanches, that none had made their peaks, or seen if anything lay within. And the air around the mountains was always so misty and filled with unpredictable currents that no aircraft could fly too low over them.

"Figures a place as mysterious as this would serve as a refuge for equally mysterious creatures." Yugi whispered in awe. Yami chuckled gently and kissed Yugi's cheek lightly.

"Come on. The entrance is behind the falls." He said, tugging Yugi along. He led Yugi over to a cleverly concealed ledge that led them behind the rushing water of the falls.

"Why has no one found this?" Yugi asked. Yami shrugged.

"This waterfall is fed by glacier water." He explained. "It's very cold, and that's enough to discourage most explorers. Those that are more adventurous can be dealt with using a memory spell." Yugi nodded as they carefully walked behind the falls, into the cave that was there.

Yugi was surprised to find that the darkness of the cave was not dark at all to him. He swung his head around, slightly bewildered, to find Yami smiling at him.

"Night vision." Yami explained. "All nocturnal creatures have it, including me." Yugi blinked at that, but it made sense to him.

He was distracted once more by Yami kissing the hand that he held. Yugi blushed slightly, he supposed that he was being 'courted'. He'd never had anyone court him before and while Yami's closeness made him uneasy, he definitely liked the other feelings that Yami was awakening in him.

He gasped as they came out of the darkness of the cave into brilliant day. A wide, green valley greeted his eyes. A large lake at one end, and forest rimming the edges gave it a strangely homey view. And all above them flew great shapes with bat-like wings.

"Dragons." Yugi breathed. His whole being longed to be in the sky with them, soaring free as the wind. Yami squeezed his hand gently and then led him to the cluster of wooden buildings nearby. Yami stopped at the largest and knocked on the door. From inside they could hear yelling.

"THERE'S SOMEONE AT THE DOOR!" An annoyed male voice screamed. "Nghh, NO! STOP THAT! I GOTTA GET THE DOOR!"

Suddenly the door was jerked open and Yugi hid behind Yami at the sight of the tall, shaggy blonde that had answered the door.

"Can I help you?" The boy asked.

"We're here to see Seto." Yami answered.

"Let them in puppy." Another voice said from within. The blonde growled and his honey-coloured eyes darkened.

"I AM NOT A PUPPY!" He roared, stomping back into the house. Yami and Yugi followed him to a large office, where a tall brunette with piercing blue eyes sat at a desk, watching them.

"Yami, so nice of you to show up." The man said, staring at Yami.

"Nice to see you well, Seto." An awkward silence stole over the room for a moment. Then Seto's eyes flicked over to Yugi.

"Is this him?" He asked. Yami nodded and gently pushed Yugi forward. Seto extended a hand, but Yugi flinched away, huddling against Yami, the only familiar thing in the room.

"He's skittish." Yami explained, feeling Yugi trembling slightly against him. "He doesn't do well with other people."

"We'll put him in a cabin alone then." Seto said, nonplussed by Yugi's reaction to him. "We'll show you to it, and give you the tour along the way. Tomorrow we'll start lessons." He explained. "Joey here will come and pick you up and bring you to the lessons, and also help you with some of them."

Yugi looked up nervously at Joey, who grinned in a friendly way at him, and thought that maybe, just maybe that this would be ok.

%&%&%&%

Yugi and Yami pushed open the door of what was to be Yugi's new home. They had gone on the tour, and now had been left to their own devices. Silently they padded through the modest cabin, checking out the kitchen, living room, bathroom and finally the bed, where they both sat down on the bed.

Yugi sighed softly, looking up at Yami. Yami turned him so that they were facing each other and brushed a couple of stray bangs off his face.

"I can stay the night, but I have to go back in the morning." Yami said quietly. "I have to run things." Yugi was visibly disappointed. Yami lifted his chin and lightly kissed him on the lips. Yugi's body surged with need, and he wrapped his arms around Yami's neck, pressing the two of them closer. They decided to sleep soon after, cuddled in each other's arms happily.

The next morning, when Yugi woke up in Yami's arms once more he did not try to escape his hold. Rather, he snuggled closer with a faint sigh. An answering sigh reached his ears, and Yami's arms tightened around him.

Yugi glanced up to find Yami's ruby eyes on him.

"I wish I didn't have to leave." Yami whispered tenderly. Yugi buried his face in his chest.

"Can't you stay?" He pleaded. "I don't want to be left alone."

"Oh Yugi. No one will hurt you here, Seto will make sure of that." Yami reassured. "He's very hard on those who break the rules here." He then heaved another sigh. "I too wish I could stay, but there are things that need to be taken care of back home, and if I am away too much, someone will try a takeover."

Yugi nodded miserably. The ache in his chest was a new sensation to him, and it made him want to cry to know Yami was leaving him. Yami saw the tears well up in Yugi's eyes and kissed him on the nose.

"I promise to visit at every opportunity I get." He murmured. "And I promise to call every day." Yugi leaned his forehead against Yami's.

"I'm not sure I believe in promises anymore." Yugi said softly, looking up sadly into Yami's eyes.

"The gods strike me down if I lie, Yugi, I will not hurt you anymore." Yami replied and then kissed Yugi on the lips passionately.

Yugi groaned and reached up to slide his fingers into Yami's silky hair. Yami licked and sucked at Yugi's bottom lip, before darting his tongue inside Yugi's mouth playfully. When he knew that Yugi's need for air would start to be too much he pulled back and sat up, looking down at Yugi.

Yugi looked up with dazed amethyst eyes. His lips were swollen from the kiss. Yami reached down and tenderly stroked Yugi's cheek. Yugi's eyes closed and he leaned into the touch.

"You are absolutely adorable." Yami purred, then pecked Yugi on the lips. "I have to leave you now." He said with deep regret. Yugi nodded and got up off the bed, following Yami outside.

Yami gave him one last long, deep kiss before trudging off to the exit from the valley. Yugi watched him go until he was out of sight and then sat down on the stoop with a sigh.

He still didn't understand how Yami could pull his emotions this way and that with no effort whatsoever. But, he was learning to accept these new feelings, and understanding that they were not a bad thing. Yami's touch was one thing he found at the same time bewildering and exciting.

He had never liked being touched, not after Ushio. But with Yami he found himself craving those touches. Even a simple brush of hands made his heart beat a little faster, and his body yearn for further contact.

"Hey, little guy, why the long face?" Yugi's head jerked up and he stared up in shock and a little fear at the boy, Joey, who he had seen yesterday. Joey cocked his head in a friendly way at him. "I'm Joey, remember? I'm going to take you to your lessons. What's your name?"

"Y-Yugi." Yugi managed to stammer out. Joey realized then that Yugi was scared.

"Hey, what's the matter?" He asked, squatting down next to Yugi. "I don't bite." Yugi flinched away from him, eyes wide. "Did someone hurt you?" Joey asked, baring his teeth in a growl. "Do you need me to mess them up?"

Yugi suddenly realized that Joey wanted to help him, not hurt him. He stared up at the taller boy, who seemed very mad that someone had hurt Yugi.

"He's in jail." Yugi explained. "He can't hurt me anymore." Joey's scowl melted into a relieved smile.

"That's good." He said. "And you don't have to worry about anyone hurting you here, we're like a big family around this place." Joey stood up again. "Come on. The professor doesn't like it when we're late."

Yugi stood up and followed him. Joey chattered happily on about the other inhabitants of the valley. Yugi stayed silent, deep in thought. Was it really possible for him to trust all these people? They were his kind, but would they really not hurt him? Yugi decided that he wanted to find out for himself.

%&%&%&%

Yami drove back to his castle in silence. He too was thinking about Yugi's situation in the dragons' valley. He hoped that Yugi would be ok there. He promised himself to call as soon as he got back to the castle.

He sighed as he arrived at the naturally dark abode. He was thinking of doing some redecorating, the castle seemed far too gloomy these days, with all it's frightening statues, dark-lit hallways and macabre paintings.

"Yami-kins!" Yami flinched at the high-pitched squeal. Tea latched herself onto him and attempted to give him a sloppy kiss on the lips. Yami pushed her away and looked in disgust at her ensemble. Today she was wearing a tube-top that showed far too much cleavage, and a mini skirt that left nothing to the imagination.

"Oh good, you got rid of that nasty little dragon." She purred in what was supposed to be a seductive way as she fluttered her mascara-caked eyelashes. "Now we won't have any interruptions." She ran a finger down Yami's chest.

Yami snatched it away with a growl.

"That 'nasty little dragon' is my lover, and you will do well to keep that tongue of yours in check, lest it gets cut out." Tea's glossed, greasy-looking lips opened in an 'O' of surprise.

"Y-You what?" She screeched. "You're cheating on me?"

"I was never going out with you." Yami snarled. "Our 'relationship' was only ever in your twisted little mind."

"But...but..." Tea tried to get close again, but Yami snarled menacingly.

"Stay away from me, or I'll kill you." He hissed, and then brushed past her to go upstairs. Immediately he called up Yugi. He was relieved to hear that Yugi was tentatively making friends with Joey, and that he had started his lessons. He did however miss his old house.

Yami hung up and got to thinking. He knew that anything surviving from the house would have been taken into custody until someone either claimed it, or it was just put up for sale, or destroyed. A plan formulated in Yami's mind.

%&%&%&%

"So, Mr. Sennen, you say you're the cousin of Yugi Motou?" The police officer looked up from Yami's ID.

"Yes, I hadn't seen my cousin in awhile, and I came for a visit." Yami replied evenly. "Imagine to my surprise that the house had been burned down." Another police officer stepped into the office.

"His story checks out, I checked the records."

Vampires had become expert at creating identities for themselves over the years, so it was no problem for Yami to make himself into Yugi's cousin.

"How come there's no contact number for you in the Motous' file?"

"I move around a lot, for my job." Yami's file identified him as an archaeologist. The officers nodded.

"We have some items of the Motous, that survived the fire." One of the officers explained. "A few pictures, some small pieces of furniture. As a family member, you are entitled to take it." Yami nodded; that was exactly his intention.

It wasn't until he got back to the castle that he inspected the items. He smiled at the pictures of Yugi and his grandfather together. There was even one of his parents. He then turned his attention to the small end table that had survived.

He opened the drawer and rifled through the papers inside. One caught his eye and he sat back to read it. His eyes then widened in horror.

"Oh gods, no,"

Wolf: Review plz!


	11. Chapter 12

Star: I did a little tweaking, for those that noticed, taking out the adult content of this story. Hopefully the adult version will be up on adultfanfiction soon for those that want it.

"Remember to concentrate." Prof. Hawkins said to his class. "Visualize your dragon form in your mind and imagine becoming it." Yugi closed his eyes and concentrated hard on his dragon form. But, try as he might he felt nothing happening to him. He opened his eyes and sighed.

"What's wrong Yugi?" Joey whispered. Joey didn't need to be in Yugi's class, but he liked hanging around the smaller boy. The two of them were the same age. Yugi thought that Joey felt that it was his job to protect Yugi.

"It's no use." Yugi groaned. "I'm never going to be able to do it." Joey chuckled.

"Don't be so sure of that." He said, pointing down at Yugi's arms. Yugi looked down and yelped; He had iridescent black scales on both his arms. He glanced up at Joey, who had a huge grin on his face.

"See? It just takes practice." Yugi looked up at the professor's voice. The kind older man reminded him of his own grandfather. Prof. Hawkins ruffled his hair gently. "Class dismissed. Practice on your own time if you can, I have a seminar I'm teaching for a couple days, so you'll be on your own."

Yugi watched his classmates leave. Most were around his age, the 'fledglings', the ones who had recently had their first transformation. There was Mai, the tall, curvy blonde, Tristan, a brunette, and Duke, who had long black hair.

Finally Yugi got up himself. Joey had wandered off after an apology; he had a meeting with Seto. Yugi had a feeling that these were not business meetings, as he had noticed hickeys on Joey's neck often after these 'meetings'.

Yugi sighed wistfully as he trudged back to his house. He had only gone a couple days without seeing Yami, but he missed him so much. He hoped that maybe when he was finished with his lessons he would be able to rejoin Yam in his castle. The combination of Yami's reassuring presence, and his own abilities under his control would be enough to keep his fear of the other vampires at bay.

Yugi opened the door of his house and paused immediately. Something was different, he sensed something, but he wasn't sure what. His nostrils flared as he inhaled deeply; his senses had become much more acute since his transformation, even out of dragon form.

Yugi blinked as a faint, spicy aroma reached his nostrils. It had the natural scent of a man, mixed with that person's individual scent, a mixture of cinnamon and a smell like windblown desert. He knew that scent...

"Hello, koi." Yugi whirled at the voice and leapt at Yami, a cry of joy escaping his lips. Yami caught him in his arms and then kissed him fiercely. Yugi pressed himself up against Yami as much as humanly possible, needing the contact he had so desperately desired.

After what seemed like forever, but ended all too soon, Yami pulled away. He studied Yugi's face carefully. Pure joy emanated from the boy. Yami's heart sank at what he was going to have to tell him next.

"Yami, what are you doing here?" Yami gulped slightly, he didn't want to take the joy out of Yugi's voice, but his lover had to know.

"Why don't we sit down?" Yugi blinked up at Yami in surprise.

"Sure, why don't we go to my bedroom?" He said. "It's the only place in the house with a comfortable place to sit."

"That's probably a good idea." Yugi was starting to catch onto Yami's anxious mood. Yugi led him to the bedroom and sat down on the bed. Yami didn't, instead paced on the floor.

"Yami, what's wrong?" Yugi asked, now really worried. Yami exhaled slowly and then sat down beside Yugi, turning him so they were facing each other head on.

"Yugi, Ushio was released from jail." Yami said softly. For a moment Yugi could not comprehend what he had just said. Then a soft moan of horror escaped his lips as full realization dawned on him. Ushio was out of jail? He would certainly come for him now.

Yugi flinched and a small scream of terror escaped him as a pair of arms wrapped around him.

"It's alright, it's just me." Yami soothed. Yugi pushed himself close to Yami and sobbed into his chest like a small, frightened child.

"He'll find me, he'll find me." He repeated over and over. Yami planted kisses on his eyelids, kissing away the tears that fell from Yugi's eyes.

"He can't." Yami whispered earnestly. "No one knows about this place, you're safe here." He rubbed Yugi's back as the boy stopped his desperate mantra and just sniffled. Yami gently kissed his forehead, his nose, and then his lips tenderly. "I will not let him hurt you."

Slowly Yugi began to respond to the tender kisses, reaching up to thread his fingers through Yami's silky, spiked hair. Yami moaned softly at the feel of Yugi's small fingernails scraping at his scalp. Yugi mewled as Yami flicked his tongue into his mouth, teasing him.

Suddenly Yami's lips were on his neck.

"Mine." He purred, kissing and sucking at the skin. Yugi groaned in agreement as Yami left a dark red mark on his neck, claiming him.

"Yami?" Yami lifted his head from Yugi's neck to look at him. Yugi's amethyst eyes were clouded with desire and he was panting a little.

"Yes, koi?" Yami asked. Yugi seemed to hesitate a moment, suddenly unsure of himself.

"Will you...will you make love to me?" Yami was startled by Yugi's timid request. He gently gripped Yugi's arms and stared deeply into his eyes.

"Are you sure you're ready for that?" Yami asked. "It seems a little fast, don't you think?" Yugi fidgeted slightly.

"I know you say he can't find me, or hurt me." Yugi murmured. "But, we don't know what will happen, and I...I want to experience...I want to be yours, in every way possible, before anything comes and takes that away." Yugi looked up at Yami imploringly. "I want to know that it can be done without the pain and blood and tears, at least just once."

Yami was stunned by Yugi's admission. He knew that he was scared of Ushio, but clearly the man had him so completely terrified of him that he believed that Ushio would be able to find him anywhere.

"Yugi, he—"

"I know that you're going to say he can't hurt me, but I can't..." Yugi swallowed tears. "I can't stop being afraid of him." Yami softened, pressing his forehead against Yugi's.

"I understand." He said quietly. He felt Yugi relax in his arms. "But, if I feel that it is too much, I will stop. I do not want to hurt you." Yugi nodded in understanding. Their lips met in a soft, tender kiss and then Yugi let Yami take his fears away.

When they finished, sometime later Yami was surprised to find tears sliding down Yugi's cheeks. "Oh Yugi, I didn't hurt you, did I?" Yami asked worriedly.

"No, I just...I never knew it could be that wonderful." Yugi sniffled, leaning against Yami's chest. Yami wrapped his arms around him and chuckled.

"I promise it will be that wonderful every time." He whispered huskily. Yugi moaned tiredly in reply. Yami saw that his eyelids were drooping and laid down with him on the bed. As the sun set the two of them lay entwined, and for that moment there was nothing bad in the world.

%&%&%&%

"_Put down the knife, please." Yugi backed away from Ushio, from the huge carving knife that he held in one meaty hand. _

"_You've been very bad this time Yugi." Ushio hissed, taking one step towards him, eyes glinting with malice. "Very, very bad."_

"_I promise I'll be good, put the knife away." Yugi pleaded. Ushio only smirked cruelly and pressed the tip of the knife against Yugi's stomach. _

"_Bad boy." He whispered, and then quickly thrust the knife into Yugi's stomach. Pain ripped through him and he fell to the ground, screaming. Ushio grunted and stuffed a cloth in his mouth, muffling his sounds of pain, and then walked out of the room._

_Yugi couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't breathe. He was shaking, shaking...shaking..._

There was someone shaking him, and calling his name. Yugi's eyes popped open and he found that he had been clenching his teeth so hard that his jaws ached. Warm arms wrapped around him tightly.

"Yugi, koi, are you ok?" Yugi looked up into Yami's concerned eyes. "You started screaming and thrashing. And then you just cut off. I thought something was happening to you. What happened?"

"Nightmare." Yugi said hoarsely, shuddering and huddling closer to Yami for comfort. Yami massaged his back to calm his nerves. After awhile Yugi's tense body relaxed a little.

"You want to talk about it?" Yami asked quietly. Yugi nodded and then buried his face in Yami's chest.

"It was about when Ushio stabbed me." He said in a small voice. "I don't remember what made him angry anymore, but first he..he raped me, and then he took the knife and stabbed me in the stomach. He left me there, gagged, on the floor without doing anything to help."

"How did you get to the hospital?"

"Grandpa came. He was coming to pick me up, and when he got no answer at the door, he got worried and barged in."

"And found you bleeding on the floor." Yugi nodded miserably.

"It was while I was in the hospital that he filed charges, and I had to testify at the trial. It was the most terrifying thing I'd ever done." Yugi admitted. "But...but it was all for nothing now, he's back." Yugi began to sob again in terror. Yami's heart burned with the desire to rip Ushio to shreds, but monsters like him were good at finding a rat-hole to hide themselves in when they didn't want to be found.

"Shh, it's ok." Yami soothed. "Why don't we go have a bath? I think we could use one." Yugi lifted his head and nodded. Yami kissed his forehead, and then lifting him bridal style, brought him to the bathroom.

He set Yugi down and then ran the bath. As the warm water filled the tub he and Yugi stripped. Yugi slipped into the hot water with a sigh and watched Yami do the same, admiring his toned body. They washed each other, trading kisses and soft touches that soothed Yugi's soul as much as it did Yami's.

"I wish you didn't have to leave." Yugi sighed. Yami sighed back.

"I know, me too." He replied. "But you'll be safe here, and I know you'll be safe here. That's the only reason I can bear to leave you at all."

%&%&%&%

Tea stalked around the castle, viciously lashing out at any humans that crossed her path. She couldn't believe that Yami had gone back to that pathetic little dragon-boy. How could he choose that little brat over her?

She checked herself out in a nearby mirror. She was certainly far more beautiful, and even more sexually experienced. That boy must have Yami mesmerized or something. A feverish light began to burn in her eyes. She would have to get rid of the boy somehow, slowly, painfully.

She quietly snuck up to Yami's private chambers. She flopped herself on the unmade bed and inhaled Yami's spicy scent on the sheets. She got aroused just thinking about her and Yami doing it on these sheets.

She decided she needed to go back to her own rooms and satisfy her needs with one of the slaves, and then kill him. As she licked her lips and stood to go, a slip of paper sticking out of the desk caught her eye.

She meandered over and snatched it out. As she read over it a slow, evil smile formed on her face. She now knew exactly how to deal with that little tramp.

%&%&%&%&%&%&&%&%&%&%&%&%&&%&%&%&%&%&%&&%&%&&%&%&%&%&%&%&&%%&

Wolf: Review plz!


	12. Chapter 14

Wolf: I own nothing!

Ushio wandered the dark alleyways of Domino City. He was on the hunt. Ushio was one of the few remaining Hunters left in existence. Hunters were slayers of all creatures that called themselves 'supernatural'. His legacy was a long and bloody family tradition, one that he executed with relish.

He noticed a nearby bar and decided to have a drink; it looked like it was going to be a quiet night. As he sat down at the bar he looked around, searching for someone to take home and 'play' with.

"Are you Ushio?" A female voice asked from behind him.

"Depends who's asking." Ushio replied and turned around. He looked the girl up and down. She was a brunette with blue eyes, pretty enough for Ushio. "Well, hello." He gave the girl a lecherous grin. Tea wrinkled her nose at him in reply.

"I need to speak with you in private." She said with evident distaste, and turned on her ridiculously high heels and walked to the back door of the bar. Ushio followed, planning to jump her as soon as they were alone.

As they walked into the alley, Ushio clapped a large, heavy hand on her shoulder.

"Hey baby-" Suddenly Tea whirled and grabbed his crotch in a vice-like grip. Ushio froze, staring at her, bug-eyed. She smiled, revealing her pointed fangs.

"Bloodsucker!" Ushio snarled, surprise turning into anger.

"I'll let that name slide for now as I am in need of your assistance." Tea replied softly, letting him go.

"And what does a bloodsucker need from me?"

"I need someone dead."

"Well, you came to the right guy." Ushio leaned against the wall, interested despite himself. "Who is it?"

"Yugi Motou." Ushio scowled furiously.

"What's your game bloodsucker? Yugi Motou is dead." He snarled. "I set the fire myself." Tea snorted at him.

"And obviously you didn't stay to make sure the job was done, foolish mistake." She glared frostily at him. "He's alive, and cozying up to my love."

"That little whore." Ushio seethed. His twisted mind began to race. First that slut landed him in jail, and now he's fucking someone else. "He belongs to me and no one else!" he hissed, enraged. "Where is he?"

"He's in the weredragon sanctuary." Tea looked at him with a snide expression. "Or didn't you know he was a dragon?"

"Of course I knew, why do you think I targeted him?" Ushio knew Yugi's history and had decided to pay special attention to his newest target. He had asked Yugi out, and as soon as the little freak had gotten comfortable with him, the torture began. The sounds of Yugi's cries of pain and pleas for mercy had been so delicious, so arousing that Ushio had decided to keep him, at least for a little while.

"If I kill him, I do it my way." He would make it slow, and oh so painful for Yugi. He couldn't keep him anymore, he'd paid for that mistake before, and it had cost him dearly, but that didn't mean that he couldn't make sure no one else could have him.

"Slow and painful is what I had in mind anyways." Tea replied with a shrug. "I want to be there, and I want Yami there to see what a little slut that filthy dragon is, so do not start until I am there."

"And how exactly am I supposed to get to Yugi?"

"You don't have to do anything, I'll deliver the whore. I just may need time to get Yami down there as well." Tea explained in a condescending tone. "Do we have a deal?" Ushio looked her over once more.

"I find you're playing me-"

"You'd already be dead if I was going to do anything." Tea interrupted. Ushio huffed. "Wait for my call."

"Fine. Deal." The two of them shook on it and then went their separate ways.

As Ushio walked back to the hovel he called he thought of all the lovely, delightful tortures he would put Yugi through. He meant to make him scream and beg before he died. He licked his lips; the little vampire bitch and Yugi's new squeeze would die too.

His eyes narrowed as he thought of the vampire that dared touch what was his. No one messed with his property, especially a bloodsucker. He decided to save some special torments for him.

%&%&%

Yugi twitched and shivered in his sleep; dreams turning dark and uneasy, as though someone wished him ill.

%&%&%

Yami tossed and turned restlessly, then sat up in bed. He disliked not having Yugi's warm body beside him. His hand reached for the phone, but then he pulled back. Yugi's paranoia about Ushio was beginning to affect him, that was all.

Yami turned over, but still could not shake the uneasy feeling in his chest. He decided to go up to the roof for a smoke.

As he got up there and lit the cigarette a voice from the shadows said

"Can you put that thing out?" Yami looked down in surprise. Bakura was sitting by the edge of the roof with a small, pale-skinned boy with soft long white hair and doe-brown eyes. Yami guessed that it was Ryou. "I said, put that thing out. You'll give Ryou cancer!"

Yami chuckled at Bakura's worry, but stubbed the cigarette out all the same.

"What are you doing up here?" Yami asked.

"Just star-gazing." Bakura shrugged. Ryou just buried his face shyly against Bakura's shoulder when Yami looked at him. "What brings you out here?"

"Just worried I guess."

"Still haven't found that Ushio freak?" Yami nodded miserably.

"I know he can't get to Yugi, but I still get the feeling that-"

"You're always going to worry about your lover, that's part of love." Bakura said, gently running his fingers through Ryou's hair. "Go to sleep. You'll feel better in the morning." Yami nodded a goodbye to the two of them, going back to bed.

Wolf: Review plz!


	13. Chapter 15

Wolf: I own nothing!

Yugi couldn't shake the feeling the next day that something was amiss. He jumped about a foot in the air when the telephone rang.

"Yugi? Are you alright?" Yami's voice sounded strained.

"I'm fine Yami." Yugi quickly assured. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, I just keep jumping at shadows." Yami explained. Yugi noted that he sounded tired.

"Have you been sleeping?" Yugi asked in concern.

"Not very well." Yami admitted with a guilty chuckle. "Listen Yugi, how would you like to go on a proper date?"

"What do you mean?" Yugi asked, clutching the phone.

"Movie, dinner, a long walk on the beach," Yami chuckled. "A date. We haven't been on one yet." Yugi's heart began to beat wildly with joy.

"I'd love to."

%&%&%&%

Yugi checked the clock one more time before heading out of the house. Yami had told him to meet him outside the waterfall by five o'clock. He had on a pair of black slacks and a white dress shirt borrowed from Duke, one of the other dragons. He'd had to roll up the sleeves and cuffs once; Duke was a little taller than him.

When he got out to the other side of the waterfall it was still only five to. Yugi sighed and paced a little nervously. He wasn't nervous about seeing Yami, it was more he was nervous about being in the city, where someone, like Ushio, might see him.

As he stood there an unpleasant scent made itself known to him. It was cloying, perfume-like. That was all he had time to register before something small and sharp struck him in the side of his neck. He gasped and pawed at it, staring in horror at the dart he held in his hand.

Almost immediately the effects of the dart made themselves known. Drowsiness stole over him, and although he fought it, he slowly sank to his knees. The last thing he saw before his vision went dark was a pair of black high heels stalk towards him.

%&%&%&%

Yami arrived at the waterfall precisely at five. No one was there. He looked around, frowning, then took a deep breath, inhaling the scents in the area. Yugi had been there, his sweet, strawberry-like scent was on the air, along with a thick, cloying scent that he realized was perfume.

All the sudden a loud whistle rent the air and something smashed into his legs with enough force to break them both. He fell to the ground with a bark of pain and stared at the bola wrapped around his legs. Only one vampire he knew was good with a bola.

"Tea." He snarled as the brunette vampire oozed into the clearing. The broken bones in Yami's legs would heal in a matter of minutes, but until then he was at Tea's mercy. "What have you done with Yugi?"

"Nothing...yet." Tea replied with an insane cackle. She pulled a sweet-smelling cloth out of her bra and knelt beside him. Yami's nose wrinkled as her rotten breath wafted against his face. "Nighty-night." Tea purred and pressed the cloth over his mouth and nose. Yami's eyes rolled into the back of his head and darkness claimed him.

%&%&%&%

As Yugi came to he became aware of two things; one, that he was naked, and two, he was strapped onto some kind of table with his arms above his head and legs spread. A soft whimper escaped his lips as his heart began to beat wildly.

"Open your eyes." A familiar, cruel voice snarled and a heavy, meaty hand slapped Yugi across the face. Yugi opened his eyes with a pained gasp and stared up into Ushio's mean brown eyes. A smirk twisted the hunter's lips. "Hello, _darling._"

Yugi shrank away from him as much as he could at that tone of voice. They were in a small shack of some kind, near the beach by the smell of salt water in the air. Ushio leaned forward, placing one hand on Yugi's bare stomach, making him quiver in fear, and smashed their lips together in a painful, bruising kiss.

Yugi thrashed and turned his head away, retching at the putrid taste of Ushio's breath. Ushio scowled at him and squeezed Yugi's penis, hard. Yugi let out a high-pitched shriek of pain.

"Thought you could whore yourself out to someone else?" Ushio softly demanded, curling his lips back from his crooked, yellow teeth. Yugi merely whimpered in reply. "Well, now I will need to remind you who's the boss around here, and of course, punish the bloodsucker who dares think that he can have my property."

Yugi lifted his head as Ushio gestured and gasped at the sight of Yami propped against the wall, unconscious.

"Yami." Yugi whispered, earning another smack across the face.

"People just don't know not to stick their noses into my business." Ushio sighed as Yami began to stir. "Just like your grandfather." Yugi's heart jolted and he felt sick; so Ushio had started the fire. Ushio chuckled darkly and wandered over to where Yami was rapidly regaining consciousness.

He gripped one of the vampire's hands and drove a knife through his wrist into the wood of the wall. Yami opened his eyes wide and shrieked in pain. Ushio ignored him and gave the same treatment to the other wrist, effectively pinning him in place.

"Hey!" Tea came out of the shadows. "This was not part of the deal." She snarled, poking Ushio in the chest. Ushio sniggered and then swung one hand out, stabbing Tea in the heart. She gasped and stared in surprise at him.

"I don't make deals, bloodsucker." He whispered in her face, before twisting the knife and jerking it out of her chest. Tea fell to the floor, stone dead. Yugi moaned at the sight and closed his eyes. Ushio stalked over to him and grasped his chin.

"We're going to have such fun." He purred, making Yugi cringe. "As soon as one more little loose end is tied up." He released Yugi and stalked back over to Yami. "Then I'll remind you that I am the only one that is allowed to have you."

Yami snarled at Ushio as he drew abreast of him. Ushio only laughed and spat in his face.

"I don't like bloodsuckers." He hissed. "I especially don't like ones that steal what is rightfully mine."

"Yugi doesn't belong to you." Yami spat. Ushio pulled a knife out of his pocket and held it up to the dim light.

"Oh, but he does." Ushio claimed. "And when I'm done with you, you'll beg for death."

Yugi watched Ushio as he prepared to torture Yami. A small sob escaped his lips, but the terror was slowly being swamped by a feeling of fury. Ushio had taken everything from him; his innocence, his courage, his grandfather. A surge of rage so hot he thought he was going to burn up washed over him.

'_I have lived in terror of him for so long. He's taken everything good in my life away from me, but he will not take Yami!'_

As the rage inside him boiled, Yugi focused his mind, letting his anger fuel his need to change. A surge of triumph welled up inside him as he felt bones elongate and scales grow out of his skin. The change came over him quickly, fuelled by his need. As he grew the straps binding him snapped and he was free.

He rolled himself over and stood up on the table that he had been bound on. A low rumble escaped his throat as he watched Ushio prepare to cut Yami. He let out an earth-shattering roar of challenge, and charged.

Wolf: Review plz!


	14. Chapter 16

Wolf: I own nothing!

Ushio chuckled at Yami's rapidly deteriorating struggles to free himself. With the knives stuck in his wrists like that Yami couldn't free himself, and he also couldn't heal himself. The result was that Yami's body was losing far too much blood, and would die in a matter of hours if he wasn't allowed to heal. Ushio wanted to make sure those last hours were the most painful he could inflict.

"How pretty." Ushio sneered, running one dirty fingernail down Yami's face. "I can see why that little slut liked you." He grabbed Yami's belt and crushed their groins together. "Maybe a little humiliation is in order first." Ushio breathed into Yami's face. "The big bad bloodsucker, raped by an insignificant little human, ahh the irony."

Yami struggled weakly as Ushio started to undo his belt. He couldn't go through this again. He managed to wriggle one of his legs out and kneed Ushio in the chest. Ushio grabbed the leg with a snarl and twisted it. Yami could only make a soft, choked sound as his leg broke.

"There will be none of that." Ushio said, lifting his knife over his head. "I think a little punishment is in order first now."

Suddenly a shattering roar echoed through the air. Ushio half-turned at the sound but was too slow to react. Razor-sharp teeth clamped down on his shoulder and Yugi swung his head, lifting Ushio bodily off the ground and sending him flying into the far wall with a crash.

Yami stared in shock at Yugi in his dragon form. Yugi let out a soft, soothing fluting noise and nuzzled his cheek gently. He then gripped one of the knives in Yami's wrists delicately in his teeth and ripped it out. Yami let out a scream of pain. Yugi whined softly in apology, but ripped the other out too.

As he did so he could hear Ushio cursing and getting up. With a soft growl, Yugi left Yami and sinuously wound his way over to his old abuser. He extended his neck up to its height, spread his wings and let out a long, challenging hiss, showing off his pointed fangs.

"You think you scare me you overgrown lizard?" Ushio glowered as he got back up to his feet, clutching his wounded shoulder. "You're being a very bad boy, Yugi. If you're good and change back right now, I won't punish you too badly." Ushio hissed through clenched teeth.

The sound made Yugi's insides go cold in fear again, and he almost gave in. But he looked back at Yami sitting there against the wall, wearily waiting for his wounds to heal and his anger returned. Ushio was not going to control him anymore!

Yugi uttered a defiant screech and lunged at Ushio. He scratched Ushio's torso with his sharp claws. _For my innocence! _His head repeatedly snapped forward to bite at Ushio's face and neck. _For Grandpa! _Ushio screamed and tried to back away from the onslaught, a tyrant folding under an uprising. Yugi lifted one head paw and smashed it against the side of Ushio's head. _For Yami, and, for me. _Ushio fell to the ground and did not move.

Yugi snorted and turned back to Yami, shifting back into his human form as he walked to his lover.

"Yami, Yami are you ok?" Yugi kissed Yami's eyes, his nose and his lips frantically.

"I'm ok." Yami replied in a tired voice. "Just drained, and, hungry." Yugi cupped his face in his hands.

"I can help with that." He offered. Yami nodded and Yugi knelt down in front of him, baring his neck. Yami cupped the back of his neck in one hand, and used the other to draw Yugi flush against him. Yami's fangs gently pierced his neck.

Yugi shivered at the sensation of Yami sucking his blood. It wasn't like the first time; this time it felt pleasurable and he could not help the small moan that escaped his lips. Yami chuckle sexily and drew back.

"We could make love right here." He purred suggestively. Yugi blushed as Yami ran a hand down his chest.

"We need...we need to get Ushio in custody." Yugi protested, groaning when Yami licked his neck.

"He's not dead?" Yami queried. Yugi shook his head.

"I only knocked him out." Yami realized that Yugi's gentler nature had prevented him from delivering that final blow.

"Well, I suppose we'd better get him in a cell, until we execute him that is."

"Execute?" Yugi looked mildly alarmed.

"Yugi, he knows too much about our kinds, he must be a Hunter." Yami explained. "We can't allow him to live."

"But, won't people ask questions?" Yugi wanted to know.

"No, not when someone like him disappears." Yami replied vehemently. "A man like him doesn't deserve any mercy." He thought for a moment. "If I go find a phone to call for help getting Ushio back to the castle will you guard him?" Yugi nodded and shifted into his dragon form, finding that once he'd done it once it came very easy. Yami chuckled and kissed his scaled cheek then stood up and walked out of the shack.

Fifteen minutes later he came back in to find Yugi lying on the floor, watching the unconscious bully with a guarded stare.

"Koi?" Yugi's head lifted and he uttered another soft, musical, fluting call and stood up, padding over to Yami on all fours. Yami chuckled; Yugi was for once taller than he was. He scratched under Yugi's chin, compelling the dragon-boy to emit a soft hum of pleasure.

"They will be here in a few minutes." Yami told him. "It's been decided that the execution will take place immediately. Are you going to watch?" Yami was surprised when Yugi nodded. "Are you sure, you don't have to." Yugi nodded again vigorously and Yami understood. Yugi needed to watch so that he knew that he never had to be afraid of Ushio ever again.

"Hey, Yami!" Yami looked up at the sound of Bakura's voice. Yugi blinked at the sight of several unfamiliar vampires slinking into the room to hover around Ushio. "That him?" Bakura asked. Yami nodded. Ushio stirred as the vampires grabbed and bound him.

"Hey!" He roared, struggling. One of the vampires struck him in the side of the head, hissing at him to be quiet.

"So this is your little beau." Bakura commented idly as the vampires dragged the screaming and swearing Hunter away. "A little bigger than what you normally go after, isn't he?" Yugi snorted at him. Yami chuckled and rubbed along his spine.

"Did you get the clothes I asked you for?" He asked his friend. Bakura nodded and produced a small satchel. Yugi gently gripped it in his teeth and walked over to the bare, dank bathroom, shutting the door to change.

When he emerged he was blushing slightly at Bakura's choice of clothing for him. He was wearing a tight, thin-material tank top and a pair of very tight black leather pants. Yami growled appreciatively at the sight and grabbed Yugi close as he came towards them.

"You look good enough to eat." He whispered huskily, making Yugi blush darker. Bakura coughed softly to get their attention.

"We should get going, or they'll execute him without us."

Yugi nodded and let Yami lead him out of the shack and onto a transport spell that the other vampires had put into place for them. The spell flashed and in an instant they were at the castle amid a mob of angry, roaring vampires.

Yugi shrank into Yami, still frightened of so many vampires. Yami squeezed his shoulder reassuringly and nodded up to a raised dais where Ushio was tied and kneeling before a masked axmen. Yami, Yugi and Bakura wound their way through the screaming crowd.

"Look after Yugi." Yami instructed and climbed up onto the dais. He held up his hands for silence. Immediately the mob went still.

"Ushio, you are accused of abuse, murder of a supernatural and murder of an innocent human." Yami's deep voice reverberated in the still air. "Your sentence for these crimes is death." A loud cheer went up at his words.

Ushio glared at all the vampires assembled and then his eyes fell on Yugi. Yugi stared back into his blazing eyes, heart pounding, but face showing nothing.

"No more." He whispered as the axe blade fell. A dull, meaty thud marked the anticlimactic end of Ushio. Yugi looked away from the headless body. It was over; Ushio would do no more harm.

Wolf: Review plz!


	15. Chapter 17

Wolf: I own nothing! This is it! The last chapter, and I even included a lemon for all of you.

As soon as the execution was over, Yami swept Yugi up and carried him upstairs to his chambers. Once there he laid Yugi down on the bed and began to kiss him almost frantically. Yugi could feel the tension in his lover's body and reached up to rub Yami's shoulders and neck soothingly. Yami groaned and lay down beside Yugi, pulling him close and burying his face in Yugi's soft hair.

"I thought I was going to lose you today." Yami admitted, voice hoarse with emotion.

"I thought I was going to lose you too." Yugi replied tenderly, stroking Yami's face. "But it's alright now."

"Yes, because you had the courage to finally stand up to your tormentor. He can never hurt you ever again." Yami kissed Yugi on the lips. Yugi moaned and Yami deepened the kiss, stroking the inside of Yugi's mouth with his tongue.

Panting, the two of them parted briefly and then initiated another hungry kiss while their hands travelled all over each other's bodies. Belts and buttons were fumbled open and soon the two of them were bare of all clothes.

Yami pulled back, gazing at Yugi lustfully and lovingly. Yugi gazed back with equal emotion. Yami pulled Yugi into his lap, the two of them groaning as their exposed members rubbed against each other, and licked at his pulse point.

Yugi let out a small gasp when Yami nipped the skin lightly and arched his neck, allowing his lover better access to the skin. Yugi reached around Yami and grasped his ass cheeks, squeezing playfully. Yami groaned and pushed Yugi back down onto the bed, straddling him.

His nips, licks and kisses trailed down Yugi's chest and stomach, a small, sexy chuckle escaping his lips as Yugi shuddered in pleasure. Yami's hands trailed up Yugi's thighs, gently massaging them and he let out a soft purr of bliss.

Yugi's half-lidded eyes opened wide and he gasped as Yami flicked his tongue against his erection. Yami teased his lover with soft flicks of his tongue until Yugi was writhing beneath him, visually begging him to stop the sweet torture.

Yami acquiesced and took Yugi's member fully in his mouth. Yugi arched his back and tried to buck up into the heat surrounding him but Yami held his hips down. Yami hummed slightly in his throat and Yugi screamed in pleasure.

When Yami felt that Yugi was close he pulled back despite a soft whimper of discontent from Yugi. He murmured reassuringly to Yugi, nuzzling his neck as he quickly coated his fingers in lube and thrust three into Yugi.

Yugi mewled in pain, but did not try to pull away. Instead he tried to relax as much as possible as Yami stretched him. Yami's fingers hit his prostate and he gasped, jerking back on the fingers. Yami laughed and brushed against that spot a couple more times before sliding his fingers out and grabbing the lube again.

Suddenly it was snatched out of his hand and he stared in disbelief as Yugi spread the lube over his own hands and grasped Yami's erection. As Yugi's fingers gently stroked the sensitive skin Yami moaned. When Yugi felt he was done he let go and laid back again, gazing up at Yami with desire-darkened eyes.

Yami gripped Yugi's hips gently and slid into him with one slow, fluid motion. Yugi bit his lip, but gave no other indication that it hurt. Yami paused and kissed Yugi on the tip of his nose, speaking soft nothings to him in a low voice.

Yugi gave an experimental roll of his hips and nodded at Yami. Yami smiled, pecked him on the lips, and began a slow pace to start. Soon though, Yugi became unsatisfied with this.

"Yami, please." He whined, shifting his hips. "Faster, harder." Yami complied with a soft grunt and began to pound into his young lover with formidable force. Yugi screamed in pleasure with every thrust as they hit his prostate and made him see stars.

All too soon Yugi reached his peak and the orgasm that rolled over him left him seeing bright spots. Yami's own orgasm made his whole body quake with the force of it. Their release left them feeling satisfied and content and they cuddled into each other's arms. After awhile Yami spoke.

"Yugi, koi?"

"Mm hm?"

"I know that we haven't been going out long, but..."

"But what, Yami?" Yugi propped himself up on one elbow, looking at Yami in concern.

"I have never felt as deeply for anyone as I feel for you. I was so terrified today, and I still feel that if I lost you...I think I would die." Yugi reached out to enfold him in a gentle embrace.

"I feel the same way." He admitted. "When I'm away from you, I ache inside."

"Well, then, will you become my mate?" Yugi blinked, startled by Yami's question. "Will you stay with me, Yugi, for all eternity?"

"But how? I will die eventually."

"No, no, no. When you become my mate, we are bound so that neither can die unless the other does." Yami explained. "You would live as long as I do." Yugi contemplated this for a moment, then smiled and kissed Yami on the lips.

"Yes. I will become your mate." Yami grinned and passionately kissed Yugi for a long minute.

"Thank you Yugi, you have no idea how happy this makes me." Yugi smirked slightly.

"I think I do." Yugi blinked as Yami sat up. "What do we have to do to become mates?"

"It's quite simple really, we just have to drink each other's blood.' Yami replied, taking a small knife from the drawer beside his bed. "I'll make a cut in my neck for you." He offered. Yugi nodded and Yami nicked his neck enough to draw blood.

The two of them drew close and Yugi licked at the blood on Yami's neck while Yami's fangs pierced his and sucked gently at his blood. The exchange only took a few seconds and when it was done Yugi felt no different from before.

"Did it work?" He asked doubtfully.

"Yes, it did koi." Yami replied, taking Yugi in his arms and laying them both down. "Now, I think we should get some sleep, it's been an extremely trying day, hasn't it?"

Yugi nodded in reply and cuddled close to his new mate. The two of them drifted off to sleep, preparing to face the first day of the rest of their lives, together.

THE END!

Wolf: well, I probably won't start a new story until Mistaken Identity is done, I need to cut back now that I'm working. So, happy reading to all of you and see you soon!


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